discretionary
adjective
dis·cre·tion·ary
di-ˈskre-shə-ˌner-ē 
1
: left to individual choice or judgment : exercised at one's own discretion
discretionary powers
2
: available for discretionary use
discretionary income
Examples of discretionary in a Sentence
discretionary spending on luxuries dropped dramatically last year
Recent Examples on the Web
Certainly, this could just be a mini-downturn that could be weathered with a combination of discretionary spending reductions, contingency funds and rainy day funds.
—
The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 23 May 2025
When asked what types of products are getting hit the hardest, 42% of respondents answering this question said discretionary products, followed by luxury (26%), furniture (19%) and travel (13%).
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 22 May 2025
Under the legislation, the State Department’s sanction authorities would now be mandatory rather than discretionary.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
Target Target slashed its annual sales forecast on May 21, after reporting a sharp decline in quarterly sales, attributing the declines to weakened consumer confidence and a pullback in discretionary spending due to Trump's tariff war.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 22 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
Legal Definition
discretionary
adjective
dis·cre·tion·ary
dis-ˈkre-shə-ˌner-ē
: left to discretion : exercised at one's own discretion
specifically
: relating to the policy-making function of a public official see also Federal Tort Claims Act compare ministerial
Note: A public official generally has qualified immunity from lawsuits that arise from his or her discretionary acts.
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